Series 9
urus minos urus read this THE WARLOCK’S STAFF URSUS the CLAWED ROAR ® With special thanks to Michael Ford '' ''To Stan and Ted '' www.beastquest.co.uk ORCHARD BOOKS 338 Euston Road, London NW1 3BH ''Orchard Books Australia '' Level 17/207 Kent St, Sydney, NSW 2000 A Paperback Original First published in Great Britain in 2011 Beast Quest is a registered trademark of Beast Quest Limited Series created by Beast Quest Limited, London Text © Beast Quest Limited 2011 Cover and inside illustrations by Steve Sims © Orchard Books 2011 A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. ISBN 978 1 40831 316 9 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2 Printed in Great Britain The paper and board used in this paperback are natural recyclable products made from wood grown in sustainable forests. The manufacturing processes conform to the environmental regulations of the country of origin. Orchard Books is a division of Hachette Children’s Books, an Hachette UK company www.hachette.co.uk URSUS the CLAWED Roar By Adam Blade ® ''Tom and Elenna are such fools! They '' ''thought their Quests were over and that '' ''my master was defeated. They were '' ''wrong! For now Malvel has the Warlock’s '' ''Staff, hewn from the Tree of Being, and '' ''all kingdoms will soon be at his mercy. '' ''We travel the land of Seraph, to find the '' ''Eternal Flame. And when we burn the '' ''staff in the flame, our evil magic will be '' ''unstoppable. Tom and Elenna can chase '' ''us if they wish, but they’ll find more than '' ''just Beasts lying in wait. They’re alone '' ''this time, with no wizard to help them. '' ''I hope Tom and Elenna are ready to meet '' ''me again. I’ve been waiting a long time '' ''for my revenge. '' ''Yours, with glee, Petra the Witch '' '' '' 9 Prologue Brendan lifted the lid off the stew pot and breathed deeply. “Smells delicious!” he said to his son Luke, who sat on the other side of the fire. Luke pointed into the cave behind them, the entrance to the whole network where the rest of the tribe lived. “The others will pick up the scent too. They’ll be hungry.” Brendan ladled stew into a bowl and handed it to Luke. “Just think,” he said. “They say that people in Avantia eat off golden platters.” Luke laughed. “Don’t be silly, Father! Avantia’s not even real. I’ve heard they sleep in feather beds too. Who would make up such a thing?” Brendan spooned some of the broth into his mouth. “Ow! It’s hot!” He sucked in cool breaths, then swallowed. “Perhaps you’re right. Feathers must be itchy! A hammock’s good enough for me.” Luke blew on his broth, and gazed out over the landscape of Seraph. Trees dotted the rich pastures, and cattle roamed over the plains. The sky was cloudless and hazy, and a distant lake sparkled like a sapphire. ''Who needs real jewels? ''Luke thought. As he watched, Ursus the Bear nosed through the bushes nearby. His glossy brown fur rippled over 10 muscled flanks as he lumbered along. Luke and Brendan both bowed to greet the old bear who had always been their protector. No one really knew if having him around helped to guard the village, but it reassured them all to have him nearby. Ursus lifted his nose in reply. With a yawn, he disappeared back into the undergrowth. ''Probably looking for a '' ''bees’ nest to plunder, thought Luke. “In Avantia the people worship a man,” said Brendan. “They call him a ‘king’.” “These Avantians sound stranger all the time!” Luke replied. “Ursus has never abandoned us, so I’ll stick with him.” As he took the first mouthful of his stew, thunder rumbled from above. Luke frowned. “That’s odd,” he said. “There’s no 11 storm approaching.” Brendan stood up, and pointed. “Oh yes there is.” Luke saw a small black cloud floating in the sky. He reached for his staff and stood beside his father. “What could it be?” “Let’s investigate,” Brendan replied. They scrambled down the path from the caves. With a sharp crack, the cloud parted. Luke grabbed his father’s tunic and tugged him behind a tree. “There’s something inside!” he gasped. As they watched, a stone staircase emerged from the black smoke, reaching downwards in a spiral. Luke could feel his father trembling. “What magic is this?” he asked. As the steps touched the ground not far from their tree, Luke saw two 12 figures emerge from the black smoke. First came a man wearing a dark hooded cloak. He carried a staff made of gnarled wood. This cloaked figure led a short, fat girl wearing a silly pointed hat. Dark, lank tresses hung over her shoulder, and her eyes squinted into the light. The man reached the bottom of the steps, then crouched and laid his hand on the soil. His face twisted into a sneer. 14 “It worked!” the man said. “We’ve reached Seraph.” The girl hopped from foot to foot, giggling. “It’s ours!” she said. “''What’s theirs?” whispered Luke. Brendan cautiously stepped out from his hiding place. “Come on, son. You know Seraph’s first law.” “Welcome to all,” Luke replied. Although Brendan felt uneasy, he nodded. “Let’s greet our visitors.” Striding ahead of his son, he approached the man and his girl companion. He held out his fist, ready to touch knuckles in the gesture used by all the people of Seraph. “Greetings, visitors!” he began. “Welcome to—” The girl gave a squeal of horror and shot out an arm. A bolt of purple light crackled from her fingertips towards them, and Brendan felt a scorching pain across his hand. “Get away from us!” the man snarled. Brendan pulled Luke to safety back behind the tree. “They must have misunderstood,” Luke said. When he peered around the trunk once more, the two figures were hurrying away, and the man was pointing towards the distant mountains. “I don’t think they’re nice people,” Luke muttered. “They seem to be looking for something.” “This doesn’t feel good,” Brendan said. “We should go back to the caves and warn the rest of the tribe.” Cradling his injured hand, he looked back, but the strangers had vanished. He shuddered. Something THE WARLOCK’S STAFF URSUS the CLAWED ROAR ® ''With special thanks to Michael Ford '' ''To Stan and Ted '' www.beastquest.co.uk ORCHARD BOOKS 338 Euston Road, London NW1 3BH ''Orchard Books Australia '' Level 17/207 Kent St, Sydney, NSW 2000 A Paperback Original First published in Great Britain in 2011 Beast Quest is a registered trademark of Beast Quest Limited Series created by Beast Quest Limited, London Text © Beast Quest Limited 2011 Cover and inside illustrations by Steve Sims © Orchard Books 2011 A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. ISBN 978 1 40831 316 9 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2 Printed in Great Britain The paper and board used in this paperback are natural recyclable products made from wood grown in sustainable forests. The manufacturing processes conform to the environmental regulations of the country of origin. Orchard Books is a division of Hachette Children’s Books, an Hachette UK company www.hachette.co.uk URSUS the CLAWED Roar By Adam Blade ® ''Tom and Elenna are such fools! They '' ''thought their Quests were over and that '' ''my master was defeated. They were '' ''wrong! For now Malvel has the Warlock’s '' ''Staff, hewn from the Tree of Being, and '' ''all kingdoms will soon be at his mercy. '' ''We travel the land of Seraph, to find the '' ''Eternal Flame. And when we burn the '' ''staff in the flame, our evil magic will be '' ''unstoppable. Tom and Elenna can chase '' ''us if they wish, but they’ll find more than '' ''just Beasts lying in wait. They’re alone '' ''this time, with no wizard to help them. '' ''I hope Tom and Elenna are ready to meet '' ''me again. I’ve been waiting a long time '' ''for my revenge. '' ''Yours, with glee, Petra the Witch '' '' '' 9 Prologue Brendan lifted the lid off the stew pot and breathed deeply. “Smells delicious!” he said to his son Luke, who sat on the other side of the fire. Luke pointed into the cave behind them, the entrance to the whole network where the rest of the tribe lived. “The others will pick up the scent too. They’ll be hungry.” Brendan ladled stew into a bowl and handed it to Luke. “Just think,” he said. “They say that people in Avantia eat off golden platters.” Luke laughed. “Don’t be silly, Father! Avantia’s not even real. I’ve heard they sleep in feather beds too. Who would make up such a thing?” Brendan spooned some of the broth into his mouth. “Ow! It’s hot!” He sucked in cool breaths, then swallowed. “Perhaps you’re right. Feathers must be itchy! A hammock’s good enough for me.” Luke blew on his broth, and gazed out over the landscape of Seraph. Trees dotted the rich pastures, and cattle roamed over the plains. The sky was cloudless and hazy, and a distant lake sparkled like a sapphire. ''Who needs real jewels? ''Luke thought. As he watched, Ursus the Bear nosed through the bushes nearby. His glossy brown fur rippled over 10 muscled flanks as he lumbered along. Luke and Brendan both bowed to greet the old bear who had always been their protector. No one really knew if having him around helped to guard the village, but it reassured them all to have him nearby. Ursus lifted his nose in reply. With a yawn, he disappeared back into the undergrowth. ''Probably looking for a '' ''bees’ nest to plunder, thought Luke. “In Avantia the people worship a man,” said Brendan. “They call him a ‘king’.” “These Avantians sound stranger all the time!” Luke replied. “Ursus has never abandoned us, so I’ll stick with him.” As he took the first mouthful of his stew, thunder rumbled from above. Luke frowned. “That’s odd,” he said. “There’s no 11 storm approaching.” Brendan stood up, and pointed. “Oh yes there is.” Luke saw a small black cloud floating in the sky. He reached for his staff and stood beside his father. “What could it be?” “Let’s investigate,” Brendan replied. They scrambled down the path from the caves. With a sharp crack, the cloud parted. Luke grabbed his father’s tunic and tugged him behind a tree. “There’s something inside!” he gasped. As they watched, a stone staircase emerged from the black smoke, reaching downwards in a spiral. Luke could feel his father trembling. “What magic is this?” he asked. As the steps touched the ground not far from their tree, Luke saw two 12 figures emerge from the black smoke. First came a man wearing a dark hooded cloak. He carried a staff made of gnarled wood. This cloaked figure led a short, fat girl wearing a silly pointed hat. Dark, lank tresses hung over her shoulder, and her eyes squinted into the light. The man reached the bottom of the steps, then crouched and laid his hand on the soil. His face twisted into a sneer. 14 “It worked!” the man said. “We’ve reached Seraph.” The girl hopped from foot to foot, giggling. “It’s ours!” she said. “''What’s theirs?” whispered Luke. Brendan cautiously stepped out from his hiding place. “Come on, son. You know Seraph’s first law.” “Welcome to all,” Luke replied. Although Brendan felt uneasy, he nodded. “Let’s greet our visitors.” Striding ahead of his son, he approached the man and his girl companion. He held out his fist, ready to touch knuckles in the gesture used by all the people of Seraph. “Greetings, visitors!” he began. “Welcome to—” The girl gave a squeal of horror and shot out an arm. A bolt of purple light crackled from her fingertips towards them, and Brendan felt a scorching pain across his hand. “Get away from us!” the man snarled. Brendan pulled Luke to safety back behind the tree. “They must have misunderstood,” Luke said. When he peered around the trunk once more, the two figures were hurrying away, and the man was pointing towards the distant mountains. “I don’t think they’re nice people,” Luke muttered. “They seem to be looking for something.” “This doesn’t feel good,” Brendan said. “We should go back to the caves and warn the rest of the tribe.” Cradling his injured hand, he looked back, but the strangers had vanished. He shuddered. minos this is the 50 th book so read this THE WARLOCK’S STAFF MINOS The Demon Bull ® ''With special thanks to '' ''Allan Frewin Jones '' ''To Connor Swift '' www.beastquest.co.uk ORCHARD BOOKS 338 Euston Road, London NW1 3BH ''Orchard Books Australia '' Level 17/207 Kent St, Sydney, NSW 2000 A Paperback Original First published in Great Britain in 2011 Beast Quest is a registered trademark of Beast Quest Limited Series created by Beast Quest Limited, London Text © Beast Quest Limited 2011 Inside illustrations by Pulsar Estudio (Beehive Illustration) Cover illustration by Steve Sims © Orchard Books 2011 A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. ISBN 978 1 40831 317 6 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2 Printed in Great Britain The paper and board used in this paperback are natural recyclable products made from wood grown in sustainable forests. The manufacturing processes conform to the environmental regulations of the country of origin. Orchard Books is a division of Hachette Children’s Books, an Hachette UK company www.hachette.co.uk MINOS The Demon Bull By Adam Blade ® Prologue Jenka smiled as she brought the threshing flail down onto the grain. The chaff jumped. She loved to work alongside her mother as the sun smiled down on them. Soon they would grind the wheat to make delicious flat-breads. She paused, resting her tired muscles. Their grass hut was nearby, and in the wide fields beyond the village, cattle grazed contentedly under the perfectly blue and cloudless Seraph sky. Her glance moved to the great totem pole that stood in the middle of the village. It had been hewn many years ago from the trunk of an ancient tree, its roots still deep in the ground. The pole was decorated with the faces of bulls and cows, carvings created in honour of the villges bountiful herds. A moving figure caught her eye – a small cloaked shape gliding in from the pastures. It headed towards Minos, the most prized bull in the village. The figure stopped at the bull’s stall and leant over the fence, holding out a cupped hand. “Look, Mama,” Jenka said, pointing to the cloaked figure. “A stranger is feeding Minos! Why aren’t they afraid of him?” Minos was a gentle creature, but 10 his size made most people wary. Her mother straightened her back and stared at the stranger. “I don’t know, Jenka,” she said, “but you should go to them. Show them the hospitality of our people. Invite them to share our dinner. Go, child. I’ll fetch our cooking pot.” As her mother moved towards their hut, Jenka ran along the path, passing the totem pole. But as she came closer to the cloaked figure, she felt a chill run through her. The figure craned over the fence, holding out a palm. Jenka hesitated, uneasy now as she watched Minos lower his head and lap at the food. “Greetings,” Jenka called. “My mother asks whether you’d like to share our midday meal. It’s 11 not much, but if you…” Jenka’s voice trailed away as the stranger turned and drew back her hood. A girl stared at her. She had a sly, cunning face framed in greasy dark hair. The girl’s mouth twisted into a sneer. “I won’t be staying that long,” she said. “It won’t be safe around here soon!” As Jenka recoiled from the cruel voice, the girl turned and hurried away, cackling to herself. Jenka saw some of the food scattered on the ground. She crouched to look more carefully. The food looked like pine nuts, but they glowed with an other-worldly blue sheen. “Magic?” Jenka muttered to herself. She was about to run and fetch her 12 mother, when the fence rattled sharply. Looking up, Jenka saw that Minos had barged against the wooden barrier with his great horned head. Was he hungry for more of the strange food? Jenka shivered with fear as she looked into the bull’s eyes. They had taken on the blue colour of the seeds, and they shone brilliantly. “Be still, Minos,” Jenka called, her voice shaking as she backed away from the stall. “The girl has gone.” Jets of steam spurted from Minos’s nostrils and he surged forwards again, snorting with sudden rage. This time the fence snapped like twigs under the force of his attack. Jenka stumbled away. “Minos! All is well!” she cried in 13 14 fear. “Please, calm yourself!” The bull lowered his horned head and began to rake his front hooves along the ground, preparing himself to charge. A fearsome bellow broke from the Beast, as though he were in agony. Jenka watched in horror as the bull’s body began to swell, his black hide stretching and expanding until Minos loomed above her. As he grew, his horns lengthened and thickened. Black claws sprouted from his hooves. Jenka tried to cry for her mother – but no sound would come from her throat. The bull’s tail grew long and thick, lashing around a fence post like a whip and tearing it from the ground. With another bellow of 16 anger, Minos charged. Jenka threw herself aside, her whole body shaken as the enraged beast pounded past, making for the village. She scrambled to her feet, dizzy and coughing on the dust that the bull’s clawed hooves had kicked up. Minos ploughed through the village, tearing fences apart, sending the other cattle stampeding for safety. Villagers fled in panic as the bull hurtled onwards. Jenka let out a cry of anguish as she saw that the Beast was heading for her own hut. “Mother, get out!” A moment later, the huge Beast plunged into the hut, smashing the woven grass walls, lifting his head to toss sheaves of the thatched roof high into the air. With a rush and a crash, the hut collapsed. 17 Jenka fell to her knees with a cry of despair. Had Minos killed her mother? Chapter One The Touch of Poison Tom and Elenna were riding along the edge of the forest. A gentle breeze made the leaves whisper and the branches dance. Elenna was sitting behind Tom on Storm’s broad back, and Silver the wolf trotted along at their side. Elenna was busy restringing her bow. She was using a string from the small 19 harp that Aduro had left for them, along with five other magic tokens. It wasn’t long ago that the sweet music of the harp had helped to subdue Ursus, a Beast Malvel created. Ursus had been a formidable enemy, and Tom was weary from the battle, but he knew that he would not have a chance to rest and recover. Tom knew that the wicked wizard, 20 Malvel, would be busy creating formidable new Beasts to throw at them. But he was undaunted. “We have to stop him,” he said to Elenna. “The fate of every kingdom depends on us.” Malvel and his loathsome minion, Petra, had stolen the Warlock’s Staff from King Hugo’s castle in Avantia. They meant to hurl the ancient staff into Seraph’s Eternal Flame so that it would be burned to ash. If that happened, Malvel would have power over every kingdom, including Avantia. “If we don’t defeat Malvel, Aduro’s death will have been for nothing,” Elenna agreed. It wrenched at Tom’s heart to remember how the Good Wizard’s 21 clothes had crumpled to the ground as their old friend had vanished. “But we do have Aduro’s magical tokens to help us.” Tom said. Tom patted Storm’s saddlebag, where they were carefully stored: a leather harness decorated with metal studs and a green jewel, a phial, a chain mail vest, a knife and a jade whistle. Those tokens would help them to conquer whatever Beasts Malvel and Petra set against them, as long as Tom could work out what they did. They had one other thing to aid them in Seraph. Petra, had dropped a map of the kingdom – a map that would lead Tom and Elenna to the Eternal Flame. “All we have to do,” Tom muttered, “is to defeat the Beasts that Malvel might put in our way.” He took out 22 the map and examined it. “Does it still show the way forward?” Elenna asked, leaning around his shoulder to look. “It does,” said Tom. A gleaming silver thread traced its way down off the forested plateau of Seraph and into the wide plains. The glistening path came to a halt at a tiny picture of a bull. “A bull Beast,” Elenna said. “It will be strong.” Tom nodded. “And created by Malvel, who knows what it will be capable of?” he said. He rolled the linen scroll up and gazed down onto the plains. “We’d better get going. The sooner we find the Beast, the sooner we can free it.” After a while they came to the edge of the vast forest. A sudden wind 23 rustled the leaves and sent the branches bending and swaying. “I don’t like the look of those clouds,” said Elenna. Great black clouds were rolling towards them at an alarming speed. The light faded as they quickly engulfed the sun. The air blew chilly in the sudden darkness. “A storm is coming,” agreed Tom. “A bad one.” The wind knifed up the hill and shrieked through the forest. Silver bared his teeth and growled. Storm rolled his eyes and flicked his ears back. The forest seemed to thrash and writhe against the fierce gale. Tom looked grimly at Elenna. “Is it just me, or does this storm feel like the work of Malvel?” Fat drops of rain began to fall, 24 splashing all around them and driving into their faces. Storm planted his hooves squarely on the ground, his head lowered against the unnatural weather. “Should we shelter in the forest?” Elenna cried, her shoulders hunched and her face wet with rain. Tom heard the creak and groan of a falling tree. High branches flailed. A mighty oak was crashing down towards them! character guide tom- wears-a shield and sword ana a jewel belt parents-taladon and freya home land-avantia '''ellena-weapons-bows and arrows' Category:Content